Dear FOS Contributors and Friends:
The Friends of Sengekontacket (FOS) thank you for your continuous support of our
mission, unchanged for over 25 years, to preserve and protect the pond and its barrier
beach. This mission is accomplished by supporting scientific research, educating
the public and maintaining cooperative alliances with other environmental groups.
We continue to concentrate on specific mission objectives developed by our scientific,
education, outreach and communications committees.
Our attached Annual Report for 2019-2020 describes both our new and ongoing projects.
This year, due to the COVID-19 virus, we have had to curtail or postpone several projects.
Through a great campaign by Sherry Countryman, FOS received three grants this year. Two grants were to help support our Summer Intern program, one from the Permanent Endowment of Martha’s Vineyard and one from the Farm Neck Golf Course. Unfortunately, due to the virus, the Shellfish Constables of both Edgartown and Oak Bluffs did not feel they could safely support the interns this year. We communicated with the two grantors, and returned the grant funds so that they could be used to support more needy projects on the Island. We will re-apply for the grants next year.
A third grant was received from the Edey Foundation, to support a joint FOS and Dukes County project to restore two kiosks on State Beach. Due to shutdowns in early spring, we postponed the project until this winter. We expect the new kiosk signs to be completed by summer of 2021.
The contests to develop new Carry In/Carry Home posters by the Edgartown and Oak Bluffs schools were cancelled due to school closings in the spring. We were able to use the old posters from last year on the beach signs. We hope to resume the project in the spring of 2021, if the schools re-open or if they can support a remote contest. We will use older signs again next year if needed.
We continue to develop and coordinate activities that will help to address issues facing
Sengekontacket and encourage more concerned people, like you, to join us in our efforts.
Sincerely,
Michael Krause
President
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